Pressure machine for forming articles from plastic materials



Jg'ne 2, 1925.

R. F. J. PRATHER PRESSURE MACHINE FOR FORMING ARTICLES FROM PLASTIC MATERIALS Filed` Nov. 9, 19.23

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Ill l//l/ lll/f//ll Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED y STATES ROBERT F. PRATHER, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

PRESSURE MACHINE FOR FORT/[ING ARTICLES FROM PLA-STTC MATERIALS.

Application 1ed.November 9, 1923. Serial No. 673,652.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT F. J. PRATHER, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of 5 Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressure Machines for Forming Articles from `Plastic Materials, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to brick making l machines and in such connection it relates more particularly to the new and improved' parts pertaining thereto.

In the usual type of compressed brick making machines, the action of the plunger l or means for feeding the clay to the machine has the effect of producing a grain in the compressed sheet of clay before it is cut into brick, usually performed by wire knives, and it is one of the objects of the invention to obviate this defect and provide a machine which will gradually force the clay or brick composition through the machine so that when the sheet of compressed clay is cut into brick, the cutting process will be even 3 and enable the brick to be cut clean, and

the knives to be passed through the compressed sheet without fear of encountering` a grain.

Another object of the invention is to prof) vide a machine of this nat-ure which will be durable and economicaland which will perform the work intended in an expeditious manner.

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accom-v Proceeding in accordance with the drawings and describing the invention in'detail, l denotes a hopper into which the clay or other brick composition is fed.

Beneath the hopper l and forming a support `for the clay 2 are a number of slabs 3 3 placed loosely but touching one another',

upon acanvas or other flexible bclt 4. These vThis belt is carried on rollers 5 5 both of which are connected by chain or chains 5a to sprocket 6 6. The rollers are rotatable by motive power from a belt wheel 7. A housing 8 encloses small rollers 9 which ride loosely around a member 10. It will bc seen also that the housing or shell 8 is eX-. tended outwardly on each side, see Figure 4, so as to enclose rollers 11 riding around members l2. These top and side rollers are all idle rollers, being actuated by lower rollers 5b in connection with the large end rollers 5 5 and chain `and sprocket already described.

In operation of the machine, the clayQ is fed into the hopper l and carried byV the slabs 3 through'theymachine and assisted in its progressive movement by the idle rollers at top and sides, clearly illustrated in Figure 4. It will be noted by reference to Figure l that the partV of the housing enclosing the rollers 9 is inclined forward, hence the boards 3, have a forward slant from a point A to a point B. The object of this is to compress the clay compactly and form it into a sheet of clay which is carried outwardly by additional rollers C to be cut into the brick of proper size. Since all drag is obviated by the rollers, the product leaves the machine without the usual grain in the sheet, usually encountered where a plunger is used to force the clay through without rollers.

After the product, issuing from a machine of the old plunger or auger type is kiln dried and ready for use, lamination or a fold upon fold effect is in evidence in the body of the brick. This makes it ditlicult to form with a chisel or trowel as the break usually follows this grain.

VThe machine described in the foregoing obviates this defect in that the product produced by the latter is substantially uniform. The pressure being 'accomplished `in a direct manner, due to the rolling system and is not allowed to fold or laminate.

IVhat is claimed is:

1. An anti-friction brick pressing machine including horizontal and vertical rollers in housings disposed on four sides of an elongated tapered channel; means to actuatey said rollers in unison; means to permit the unobstructed passage ol said rollers around within the housing, and belt means to aid in the conveying of clay through the rollers.

2. An anti-friction brick pressing machine including a tapered channel having a remov-A able, sectionaltop and bottom portion; vertical and horizontal endless guides, rollers disposed in the guides and arranged in peripheral Contact whereby movement of the rollers through the guides is effected by engagement of a rear one with an adjacent front one.

3. An anti-friction brick pressing machine including a tapered channel having a removable, sectional bottom portion and a pair of opposing housings; rollers loosely disposed in said housings and means to revolve the rollers freely around therein; and an endless belt interposed between the lower rollers and the said sectional bottom of the tapered channel. Y Y

4. The combination'as defined in claim 3; said channel having housings on opposing sides thereof having endless guides therein, and rollers disposedk in said guides and arranged in peripheral contact and means for loosely revolving lsaid rollers around Within the guides.

lIn testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT F.v J. PRATHER. 

